Mars moved into its home sign of Aries on 29th June 2020. Mars usually only stays 6 months at a time in a sign, but it will be there 6 months because of the fact it will be in retrograde for 2 months. It will start its retrograde on the 9th of September.
I felt it was important to create this post regarding Mars’ retrograde because of the extra special qualities it carries this time around and because of the planets which are involved as they have been the major players in the year 2020.
In this post, I will explain to you the themes around all of the major players during the last 4 months of the year and the first month of 2021, as this retrograde feels like it will be seen and witnessed in the world and in our own lives. Also, as an astrologer and human, I believe that if you understand the themes and stories linked to each planet, aspect and sign then you can use this knowledge to our advantage and adapt to help us evolve and grow further.
At the end of this post, I have included the key dates for this retrograde as a handy grid to note down anything that may have happened on that date that may be associated with the planets involved. If you really want to build a relationship with the different planets and understand the lessons they are telling you, then use
the grid to your advantage to evolve and grow further
Below you will read about the themes for:
Retrograde – A time where a planet
appears to go backwards in the sky, but it is a time to re-evaluate and
review the themes of the planet in retrograde. With a retrograde there is 3 chances to review, revaluate and
learn what to change. The first time is to notice the themes of the lessons, the second to learn a little more on
the lesson and use what you have learnt already to move forward and the last date is to consolidate the lesson
and implement anything else you feel you need to put in place.
Mars – Planet of action, motivation and inspiration.
Aries – The first star sign and associated with new beginning, initiation and a fresh start.
Saturn – Lord of Karma and is associated with structure and time.
Pluto – The God of the Underworld
Jupiter – The planet of luck and expansion.
Square – An angle in a chart which means the planets are at 90 degrees to one another. It’s themes are: creative tension and challenge – a chance to grow.
In a nut shell, over the coming months, Mars will carry on moving through the sign of Aries and start it’s retrograde on 9th September. Throughout the next 5 months, Mars will, on certain days, be at a 90 degrees angle to Saturn, Pluto and Jupiter, which are moving through the sign of Capricorn, all at different times.
When planets, make angles to one another it is like their themes and energies are having a conversation with one another. These conversations can feel easy, or blend well together and work as a team or they can cause tense and challenge which will lead to growth and evolution. In this case when the planets meet the energy will
feel tense, challenging and encourage growth and evolution. All of this during a time where Mars is encouraging use to slow down, review and evaluate.
With Mars being in retrograde the planets will square one another 3 times. This is because with a retrograde the planets move forward, then appear to move backward in the sky, but they actually do in a birth chart and then move forward again. With this type of movement it means the planet moves across the same part of the birth chart 3 times.
Mars Retrograde dates
The first square sets up the situation, the second deepens our awareness of it, and the third gives us some kind
of closure.
13th August – Mars square Pluto 1
24th August - Mars square Saturn 1
9th September - Mars Retrograde
29th September - Mars square Saturn 2
9th October - Mars square Pluto 2
18th October - Mars square Jupiter 1
12th November - Mars square Jupiter 2
13th November - Mars Retrograde ends
23rd December - Mars square Pluto 3
13th January - Mars square Saturn 3
23rd January - Mars square Jupiter 3
